3 UNITED NATIONS OFFICE ON DRUGS AND CRIME Vienna Handbook on Restorative Justice Programmes CRIMINAL JUSTICE HANDBOOK SERIES UNITED NATIONS New York, 2006

4 Acknowledgements The Handbook was prepared for the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) by Yvon Dandurand, Dean of Research, University College of the Fraser Valley, Canada; Senior Associate, Centre for Criminal Law Reform and Criminal Justice Policy and Curt T. Griffiths, Professor, School of Criminology, Simon Fraser University, Canada. The Handbook was reviewed at an expert group meeting held at UNODC in Vienna from January UNODC wishes to acknowledge the valuable contributions received from the following experts who participated in that meeting: Ivo Aertsen, Hazem Aly, Elias Carranza, Borbala Fellegi, Kittipong Kittayarak, Paul McCold, Chino Obiagwu, Christa Pelikan, Ann Skelton, Adam Stapleton, Pavel Stern, Daniel Van Ness and Martin Wright. UNODC also wishes to acknowledge the support provided by the Government of Canada towards the development of the Handbook. Finally, it should be mentioned that the International Centre for Criminal Law Reform and Criminal Justice Policy has been a key supporter of UNODC s efforts in the area of restorative justice. United Nations publication Sales No. E.06.V.15 ISBN 10: ISBN 13: This document has not been formally edited.

5 Contents Introduction 1 1. Restorative justice Definitions of key concepts Features of restorative justice programmes Underlying assumptions Process values and goals Objectives 9 2. The use of restorative approaches Main types of programmes Variation in criminal justice programmes Victim-offender mediation Community and family group conferencing Circle sentencing Restorative programmes for juvenile offenders Indigenous and customary justice forums Principles and safeguards Basic principles on the use of restorative justice programmes in criminal matters Examples of guidelines and their contents From principles to practice: implementing restorative justice programmes Strategic approaches Programme design and implementation Addressing the need for legislation Legislative provisions Leadership, organization and programme structure Securing the support of criminal justice agencies Mobilizing the community 56 iii

6 5. The dynamics of restorative justice interventions Participants in the restorative justice process Types of processes in restorative justice programmes Cautions Addressing potential pitfalls Programme operation Context for the successful operation of a programme The use of police, prosecutorial and judicial discretion Promoting appropriate referrals to a programme The role of NGOs and civil society Programme outcomes Compliance monitoring Programme support services Community relations and relations with the media Programme monitoring and evaluation The need for programme monitoring and evaluation Challenges in evaluating restorative justice programmes Measuring the impact of programmes on recidivism Evaluation results and evidence of emerging best practices 85 Conclusion 89 References and bibliographical resources 91 Annexes Annex I: Useful web-based resources 97 Annex II: United Nations Basic Principles on the Use of Restorative Justice Programmes in Criminal Matters 99 Annex III: Controversies and disagreements on the essential characteristics of a restorative justice programme 103 iv

7 Introduction This handbook is one of a series of practical tools developed by UNODC to support countries in the implementation of the rule of law and the development of criminal justice reform. It can be used in a variety of contexts, including as part of UNODC technical assistance and capacity building projects. It introduces the reader to restorative justice programmes and processes. A companion Handbook of Basic Principles and Promising Practices on Alternatives to Imprisonment is also available from UNODC. The present handbook offers, in a quick reference format, an overview of key considerations in the implementation of participatory responses to crime based on a restorative justice approach. Its focus is on a range of measures and programmes, inspired by restorative justice values, that are flexible in their adaptation to criminal justice systems and that complement them while taking into account varying legal, social and cultural circumstances. It was prepared for the use of criminal justice officials, non-governmental organizations and community groups who are working together to improve current responses to crime and conflict in their community. The materials presented in this handbook are directed toward a number of different audiences and, therefore, individual users may find some sections of more relevance and interest than others. The Vienna Declaration on Crime and Justice: Meeting the Challenges of the Twenty-first Century (2000) encouraged the development of restorative justice policies, procedures and programmes that are respectful of the rights, needs and interests of victims, offenders, communities and all 1

8 2 HANDBOOK ON RESTORATIVE JUSTICE PROGRAMMES other parties. 1 In August 2002, the United Nations Economic and Social Council adopted a resolution calling upon Member States that are implementing restorative justice programmes to draw on a set of Basic Principles on the Use of Restorative Justice Programmes in Criminal Matters (hereinafter: the Basic Principles) developed by an Expert Group (see annex II). In 2005, the declaration of the Eleventh United Nations Congress on the Prevention of Crime and the Treatment of Offenders (2005) urged Member States to recognize the importance of further developing restorative justice polices, procedures and programmes that include alternatives to prosecution. 2, 3 Restorative justice programmes can be used to reduce the burden on the criminal justice system, to divert cases out of the system and to provide the system with a range of constructive sanctions, The handbook attempts to synthesize the lessons learned during the implementation and evaluation of various new models and programmes. It places that discussion in the context of an emerging international normative framework for the development of participatory and restorative justice programmes, but it does not use prescriptive language. Its main purpose is to help those involved in the implementation of participatory and restorative justice programmes make informed decisions about programme design, implementation and evaluation. The implementation of restorative justice programmes, as a complement to the criminal justice system, was accompanied by the development of safeguards for participants and efforts to maximize their restorative and crime prevention outcomes. In 2002, the United Nations Economic and Social Council adopted a resolution containing a set of Basic Principles on the Use of Restorative Justice Programmes in Criminal Matters. These principles offer important guidance for policy makers, community organizations and criminal justice officials involved in the development of restorative justice response to crime in their society. The Basic Principles provided the basis for the present handbook and are reproduced in annex II. This handbook contains seven sections. The first one reviews the main concepts involved, as well as the values and objectives of participatory and restorative justice. Section two deals with the use of restorative 1 The Vienna Declaration on Crime and Justice: Meeting the Challenges of the Twenty-first Century, 10th United Nations Congress on the Prevention of Crime and the Treatment of Offenders, Vienna, April 2000, A/CONF. 184/4/Rev. 3, para The Bangkok Declaration Synergies and Responses: Strategic Alliances in Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice, 11th United Nations Congress on the Prevention of Crime and the Treatment of Offenders, Bangkok, April 2005, para Note also that, in 2001, the European Union issued a framework decision stating that member states should promote mediation in criminal cases and bring into force their legal instruments by See. European Union Council Framework Decision of 15 of March 2001 on the Standing of Victims in Criminal Proceedings, Article 10.

9 Introduction 3 programmes, while section three focuses on the question of the normative framework for such programmes. The remaining sections deal with various aspects of the implementation of a successful restorative programme. They deal respectively with programme design and implementation, programme operation and the mobilization of community assets, and programme evaluation issues and findings. The emphasis is on presenting information and referring to examples that will be useful in the development of new programmes in a variety of social, cultural and legal contexts.

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11 1. Restorative justice In many countries, dissatisfaction and frustration with the formal justice system or a resurging interest in preserving and strengthening customary law and traditional justice practices have led to calls for alternative responses to crime and social disorder. Many of these alternatives provide the parties involved, and often also the surrounding community, an opportunity to participate in resolving conflict and addressing its consequences. Restorative justice programmes are based on the belief that parties to a conflict ought to be actively involved in resolving it and mitigating its negative consequences. They are also based, in some instances, on a will to return to local decision-making and community building. These approaches are also seen as means to encourage the peaceful expression of conflict, to promote tolerance and inclusiveness, build respect for diversity and promote responsible community practices. New and established forms of restorative justice offer communities some welcome means of resolving conflicts. They involve individuals who are not detached from the incident, but are directly involved in or affected by it. The participation of the community in the process is no longer abstract, but rather very direct and concrete. These processes are particularly adapted to situations where the parties participate voluntarily and each one has a capacity to engage fully and safely in a process of dialogue and negotiation. This handbook focuses on restorative justice programmes in criminal matters, but it should be noted that restorative processes are being used to address and resolve conflict in a variety of other contexts and settings, including schools and the workplace. 5

12 6 HANDBOOK ON RESTORATIVE JUSTICE PROGRAMMES In many countries, the idea of community involvement enjoys a large consensus. 4 In many developing countries, restorative justice practices are applied through traditional practices and customary law. In doing so, these approaches may serve to strengthen the capacity of the existing justice system. A fundamental challenge for participatory justice is, however, to find ways to effectively mobilize the involvement of civil society, while at the same time protecting the rights and interests of victims and offenders. Restorative justice is an approach to problem solving that, in its various forms, involves the victim, the offender, their social networks, justice agencies and the community. Restorative justice programmes are based on the fundamental principle that criminal behaviour not only violates the law, but also injures victims and the community. Any efforts to address the consequences of criminal behaviour should, where possible, involve the offender as well as these injured parties, while also providing help and support that the victim and offender require Restorative process Definition: A restorative process is any process in which the victim and the offender and, where appropriate, any other individuals or community members affected by a crime participate together actively in the resolution of matters arising from the crime, generally with the help of a facilitator. Restorative justice refers to a process for resolving crime by focusing on redressing the harm done to the victims, holding offenders accountable for their actions and, often also, engaging the community in the resolution of that conflict. Participation of the parties is an essential part of the process that emphasizes relationship building, reconciliation and the development of agreements around a desired outcome between victims and offender. Restorative justice processes can be adapted to various cultural contexts and the needs of different communities. Through them, the victim, the offender and the community regain some control over the process. Furthermore, the process itself can often transform the relationships between the community and the justice system as a whole. 1.1 Definitions of key concepts Restorative justice is a way of responding to criminal behaviour by balancing the needs of the community, the victims and the offenders. It is an evolving concept that has given rise to different interpretation in different countries, one around which there is not always a perfect consensus. Also, because of the difficulties in precisely translating the concept into different languages, a variety of terminologies are often used. There are many terms that are used to describe the restorative justice movement. These include communitarian justice, making amends, positive justice, relational justice, reparative justice, community justice and restorative justice, among others. 5 4 Faget, 2003, p Miers, 2001, p. 88.

13 chapter 1 Restorative justice 7 Restorative justice programme Definition: Restorative justice programmes means any programme that uses restorative processes and seeks to achieve restorative outcomes. Restorative process Definition: A restorative process is any process in which the victim and the offender and, where appropriate, any other individuals or community members affected by a crime participate together actively in the resolution of matters arising from the crime, generally with the help of a facilitator. For the purposes of this handbook, the term restorative justice programmes is given the same usage as found in the Basic Principles: any programme that uses restorative processes and seeks to achieve restorative outcomes. The emphasis in this definition is clearly on participatory processes designed to achieve a desired outcome. A restorative process is defined as any process in which the victim and the offender, and, where appropriate, any other individuals or community members affected by a crime, participate together actively in the resolution of matters arising from the crime, generally with the help of a facilitator. Restorative justice gives as much importance to the process as to the outcome. The individuals involved in this process are referred to as the parties. In Europe and in many other parts of the world, the process is often referred to by means of the technique that most models have in common, that is mediation as distinct from legal adjudication. 6 According to the Basic Principles, a restorative outcome is an agreement reached as a result of a restorative process. The agreement may include referrals to programmes such as reparation, restitution and community services, aimed at meeting the individual and collective needs and responsibilities of the parties and achieving the reintegration of the victim and the offender. It may also be combined with other measures in cases involving serious offences. 1.2 Features of restorative justice programmes The following are features of restorative justice programmes: A flexible response to the circumstances of the crime, the offender and the victim, one that allows each case to be considered individually; A response to crime that respects the dignity and equality of each person, builds understanding and promotes social harmony through the healing of victims, offenders and communities; A viable alternative in many cases to the formal criminal justice system and its stigmatizing effects on offenders; An approach that can be used in conjunction with traditional criminal justice processes and sanctions; An approach that incorporates problem solving and addressing the underlying causes of conflict; 6 See: Council of Europe (1999). Recommendation No. RR (99) 19 of the Committee of Ministers to Member States Concerning Mediation in Penal Matters.

14 8 HANDBOOK ON RESTORATIVE JUSTICE PROGRAMMES An approach that addresses the harms and needs of victims; An approach which encourages an offender to gain insight into the causes and effects of his or her behaviour and take responsibility in a meaningful way; A flexible and variable approach which can be adapted to the circumstances, legal tradition, principles and underlying philosophies of established national criminal justice systems; An approach that is suitable for dealing with many different kinds of offences and offenders, including many very serious offences; A response to crime which is particularly suitable for situations where juvenile offenders are involved and in which an important objective of the intervention is to teach the offenders some new values and skills; A response that recognizes the role of the community as a prime site of preventing and responding to crime and social disorder. 1.3 Underlying assumptions Restorative justice programmes are based on several underlying assumptions: (a) that the response to crime should repair as much as possible the harm suffered by the victim; (b) that offenders should be brought to understand that their behaviour is not acceptable and that it had some real consequences for the victim and community; (c) that offenders can and should accept responsibility for their action; (d) that victims should have an opportunity to express their needs and to participate in determining the best way for the offender to make reparation, and (e) that the community has a responsibility to contribute to this process. 1.4 Process values and goals There are at least four critical ingredients for a fully restorative process to achieve its objectives: (a) an identifiable victim; (b) voluntary participation by the victim; (c) an offender who accepts responsibility for his/her criminal behaviour; and, (d) non-coerced participation of the offender. Most restorative approaches strive to achieve a specific interactive dynamic among the parties involved. The goal is to create a nonadversarial, non-threatening environment in which the interests and needs of the victim, the offender, the community and society can be addressed. The objectives of restorative justice programmes and the kind of outcomes they purport to produce have led to the articulation of a number of process values reflected to a different extent in each of the Process values Participation and empowerment of participants Respect for all participants Preference for consensual outcomes over imposed ones Commitment of parties to agreement reached through the process Flexibility and responsiveness of process and outcomes Community empowerment

15 chapter 1 Restorative justice 9 various forms of restorative justice. The process is characterized by respectful treatment of all parties. It is also one that promotes the participation and, to a varying extent, the empowerment of all parties concerned. It functions best when it remains clear and predictable, yet flexible and responsive to the individual circumstances of each case. It favours consensual outcomes over imposed ones and it is concerned with eliciting a genuine commitment from the parties to live up to the agreement that they have articulated. Process goals include the following: Victims who agree to be involved in the process can do so safely and come out of it satisfied; Offenders understand how their action has affected the victim and other people, assume responsibility for the consequences of their action and commit to making reparation; Flexible measures are agreed upon by the parties which emphasize repairing the harm done and, wherever possible, also address the reasons for the offence; Offenders live up to their commitment to repair the harm done and attempt to address the factors that led to their behaviour; and, The victim and the offender both understand the dynamic that led to the specific incident, gain a sense of closure and are reintegrated into the community. 1.5 Objectives More specifically, restorative justice practitioners tend to agree that what truly makes a particular response to crime a restorative one is not so much a specific practice or process, but rather its adherence to a set of broad objectives that provide a common basis for the participation of parties in responding to a criminal incident and its consequences. The objectives of restorative justice programmes have been stated in a number of different ways, but essentially contain the following key elements: (a) Supporting victims, giving them a voice, encouraging them to express their needs, enabling them to participate in the resolution process and offering them assistance. For the last two decades or so criminal justice systems have been called upon to focus more directly on the needs and interests of victims. In 1985, the General Assembly adopted a Declaration of Basic Principles on Justice for Victims of Crime and Abuse of Power which stated that informal mechanisms for the resolution of disputes, including

16 10 HANDBOOK ON RESTORATIVE JUSTICE PROGRAMMES mediation, arbitration and customary justice or indigenous practices, should be utilized where appropriate to facilitate conciliation and redress for victims. 7 We now know much more about the needs of victims of crime and the ways in which the criminal justice system may address these needs (e.g. the need for information, participation, expression, empathy, redress, restoration of a sense of control and security, etc.). However, there remain frequent complaints that the formal criminal justice process ignores the victims needs and wishes. By contrast, a restorative justice process is often uniquely suited to address many of the victims most important needs. In particular, the formal justice process is not designed to allow victims to describe the nature and consequences of the crime, let alone to ask questions of the offender. The restorative justice model can support a process where the victims views and interests count, where they can participate and be treated fairly and respectfully and receive restoration and redress. By participating in the decision-making, victims have a say in determining what would be an acceptable outcome for the process and are able to take steps toward closure. (b) Repairing the relationships damaged by the crime, in part by arriving at a consensus on how best to respond to it. In fact, it is often argued that the focus of the response should not be solely on the criminal incident, but rather on the relationships that it affected or damaged. Strengthening the community can sometimes prevent further harm. A key feature of restorative justice is that the response to criminal behaviour focuses on more than just the offender and the offence. Peacemaking, dispute resolution and rebuilding relationships are viewed as the primary methods for achieving justice and supporting the victim, the offender and for interests of the community. It can also be helpful for identifying underlying causes of crime and developing crime prevention strategies. Restorative justice objectives Restore community order and peace and repair damaged relationships Denounce criminal behaviour as unacceptable and reaffirm community values Support victims, give them a voice, enable their participation and address their needs Encouraging all concerned parties to take responsibility, particularly by the offenders Identify restorative, forwardlooking outcomes Prevent recidivism by encouraging change in individual offenders and facilitating their reintegration into the community (c) Denouncing criminal behaviour as unacceptable and reaffirming community values. Denouncing certain behaviours is an objective of the restorative justice process just as it has been a fundamental objective of criminal law for centuries. However, the way in which the behaviour is denounced is different. Denunciation is achieved in a more flexible manner, taking into account not only the rules, but also the individual circumstances of the offence, the victim and the offender. It is designed to be a positive denunciation within a larger process, rather than being the sole focus of the intervention. What the denunciation looks like and how it takes place during the restorative process will vary widely, but it remains an essential part of the process. At times, issues can obviously arise when the values that a given community reaffirms through the restorative justice process are not congruent with those enshrined in existing law. (d) Encouraging responsibility taking by all concerned parties, particularly by offenders. The restorative process is meant to make it easier for offenders 7 General Assembly resolution 40/34 of 29 November 19985, para. 7.

17 chapter 1 Restorative justice 11 to assume responsibility for their behaviour and its consequences. A restorative process moves from merely assessing legal guilt to attempting to determine responsibility for a conflict and it consequences. Active acknowledgment and acceptance of personal responsibility for the crime and its consequences, rather than a mere passive one imposed by others, is what is being encouraged. Others who had a role to play in the offence or the circumstances that led to it are also encouraged to assume responsibility for their part in the incident. This has the effect of broadening out the process beyond the specific incident, victim and offender. The manner in which this responsibility will lead to action, in particular apologies and restoration, is left to be determined through the process itself and not through the automatic application of some general legal rules. At its best, the process may lead the offender not only to assume responsibility but also to experience a cognitive and emotional transformation and improve his or her relationship with the community and, depending upon the particular circumstance, with the victim and the victim s family. (e) Identifying restorative, forward-looking outcomes. Rather than emphasizing the rules that have been broken and the punishment that should be imposed, restorative approaches tend to focus primarily on the persons who have been harmed. A restorative justice process does not necessarily rule out all forms of punishment (e.g. fine, incarceration, probation), but its focus remains firmly on restorative, forward-looking outcomes. The restorative outcome that is being pursued is the repair, as far as possible, of the harm caused by the crime by providing the offender with an opportunity to make meaningful reparation. Restorative justice is relationship based and strives for outcomes that satisfy a wide group of stakeholders. (f) Reducing recidivism by encouraging change in individual offenders and facilitating their reintegration into the community. The past behaviour of individuals and its consequences are clearly a central preoccupation of the restorative process, but so is the offender s future behaviour. An offender s undertaking as it relates to his or her future behaviour is usually an essential component of agreements arrived at through mediation or other restorative processes. Transforming or reforming the offender through the restorative process is a legitimate objective of the process and so is the prevention of recidivism. The insistence that offenders understand and accept responsibility for the consequences of their actions is clearly meant to affect the offenders future behaviour. It is understood that the community and statutory agencies have a role to play in this process. (g) Identifying factors that lead to crime and informing authorities responsible for crime reduction strategy. The restorative process is an open one that encourages frank discussion of the background of the offence in a spirit of explanation rather than making excuses. If, for example, this reveals that offenders come from areas with particular deficits, action can be taken to remedy the problem.

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19 2. The use of restorative approaches This section of the handbook presents information on the main types of restorative justice programmes, including victim offender mediation programmes, community and family group conferencing, circle sentencing and reparative probation. It also includes a discussion of indigenous and customary justice forums and the main characteristics of existing criminal justice programmes. As emphasized in the Basic Principles, restorative justice programmes complement rather than replace the existing criminal justice system. A restorative intervention can be used at any stage of the criminal justice process, although in some instances amendments to existing laws may be required. Generally speaking, there are within a criminal justice system four main points at which a restorative justice process can be successfully initiated: (a) at the police level (pre-charge); (b) prosecution level (postcharge but usually before a trial), (c) at the court level (either at the pretrial or sentencing stages; and, (d) corrections (as an alternative to incarceration, as part of or in addition to, a non-custodial sentence, during incarceration, or upon release from prison. In some countries, restorative interventions are possible in parallel to the prosecution. In Belgium, for example, mediation can also be offered when the public prosecutor has already decided to prosecute the suspect.8 At any one of these points, an opportunity can be created for officials to use their discretionary powers and refer an offender to a restorative justice programme (See figure I). 8 See: the Belgian Mediation for Redress Programme which focuses on more serious crimes. The mediation is carried out by an independent mediator and when an agreement is reached, this can be added to judicial file of the offender and can be considered as part of the sentencing process. (Aertsen, et al., 2004: 24). 13

20 14 HANDBOOK ON RESTORATIVE JUSTICE PROGRAMMES A restorative process can also be initiated in some cases instead of bringing a particular crime or conflict to the attention of the criminal justice system in the first place. This is the case, for instance, in school-based programmes using mediation or other restorative processes to deal with minor behavioural problems that take place within the school community. As well, restorative programmes can also operate in neighbourhood mediation centres. Finally, police officers can often also informally incorporate restorative justice principles into their decision-making when they are called upon to intervene on the street, in situations of minor disorder or conflict or in specific contexts, such as schools. Generally, cases involving more serious incidents are referred to the restorative justice process later in the criminal justice system. 9 A comprehensive approach to the implementation of restorative justice programmes within a national system would normally provide a range of programmes designed for referrals from different points within the criminal justice process. Figure I. Restorative justice programmes and the criminal justice system Cases not coming to the attention of the criminal justice system Pre-charge Post-charge Pre-conviction Post-conviction Pre-sentence Post-sentence Pre-reintegration Post-confinement Re-integration Informal referrals Police and/or prosecution referrals Prosecution referrals Court referrals Probation and corrections referrals Corrections or prison referrals Parole agency and/or NGO Restorative Justice 2.1 Main types of programmes There is considerable variability among existing programmes. They cover a wide range of processes centred on a restorative approach. This is due in part to varying interpretations of conflict and different perspectives on how such conflict is addressed and resolved. 10 The main categories of programmes are: (a) victim offender mediation; (b) community and 9 See: Latimer and Kleinknecht, For an international review of justice programmes see Miers, 2001 and for a review of European Programmes, see Miers and Willemsens, 2004.

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